Meet Alicia Galvan | Director and founder of Girls who love dogs rescue

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alicia Galvan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alicia, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
Most people don’t realize that over a million shelter animals are euthanized in the U.S. every year—that’s roughly 2,500 a day. This isn’t because these animals are aggressive or unadoptable—it’s often simply due to overcrowding and lack of resources. Yes your cute , young friendly , purebred dog is no exception , there just isn’t enough space. The odds are even slimmer if your dog is a large breed, or pitbull type dog , or a black dog ,or a senior dog , it’s highly likely they will be killed.

Shelters are overwhelmed, underfunded, and rely heavily on rescues and fosters to save lives. Many adoptable pets never make it to the adoption floor because there’s no space. Rescues step in to pull animals at risk, but without foster homes, our hands are tied.

If more people understood this reality, they’d see how critical fostering, adopting, and advocating really are. It’s not just helping one animal—it’s creating space to save the next. Animals aren’t disposable they are sentient beings just like us

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I operate a non profit animal rescue and focus on underserved areas across Los Angeles county. What sets Girls who love dogs apart from others , is we focus on the dogs that are harder to get out of the shelter. The large breeds, the pitbull type dogs , the dogs with a behavior waiver and made available only to rescues , the black dogs and the senior dogs , while they are everyone else’s last choice , they are our first . I started rescuing when one of my neighbors dog went missing. He used to let both of them roam free and only one came back , I put up posters and posts across Facebook groups and I came across a whole different world entirely of lost and missing dogs. I couldn’t believe how many dogs were sighted and some in horrible condition , I took it upon myself and would foster strays either until owner was found or another home . Then I came across the shelters and it was heartbreaking and impossible to turn away . It’s not easy , rescue is emotionally , mentally , physically draining. It is never ending . To voluntarily put yourself in a position where no matter how much you do dogs are dying everyday because there just isn’t enough people stepping up and laws not being enforced it is extremely challenging. It is something you have to face everyday, I would say the only thing that keeps me going is the alternative, turning away and giving up on what I have already seen , is worse to me than what I see everyday because then I become apart of the problem. It is our duty as humanity to advocate and give a voice to the voiceless. While it may be heartbreaking , to not be able to save them all it is also the most rewarding experience , when you see that once shut down scared dog come out of his shell and begin to trust and experience what safety and love is , it’s hard to put into words , it’s deeper than empathy it’s something in you that you didn’t know was there , to be able to save their life and give it right back to them , only even better . The lessons I have learned are while we desperately need fosters and adopters , not everyone should have the privilege of owning a dog , it is more than a responsibility but a commitment and it literally means the difference between life and death for them . I come also from an underserved area in South la , although I grew up on the west side of Culver City I now reside in south la , so something I would like everyone to know is , that anyone can make a difference. You don’t need to be rich although times it may feel like it , but the importance is remaining committed. I found what I loved and what was my passion and turned it into my mission.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would take them probably to the melrose alley murals hit some nice vintage thrift shops , Cafe Nido top of the world in Malibu it’s a really beautiful site would definitely visit that , some other cool places would be the beetle house definitely go to pink and bougie and eat some good tacos! Can’t forget og cannabis cafe on La brea , a lot of enjoying the cali sun around good people with good vibes and of course my dogs that goes without saying

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The community. 100%.

Without fosters, I couldn’t do any of this. They are the lifeline of every rescue. We don’t have a shelter building—we rely entirely on people opening their homes and hearts to dogs in need. Every life we save is because someone in the community stepped up, whether by fostering, donating, transporting, sharing a post, or adopting.

Rescue work isn’t a one-person mission—it’s a collective effort. And I’m just one part of it. The real heroes are the fosters and the community who stand beside me, believing these animals are worth saving.

Website: https://Www.girlswholovedogsrescue.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girls_who_love_dogs_rescue?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Image Credits
A few photos taken by Victoria Smith ig @victoriasmithphoto